Iran’s Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has put in place detailed plans for his succession and emergency chains of command ought to he, or different prime leaders, be killed in potential US or Israeli strikes, The New York Occasions reported Sunday, additionally detailing how he elevated longtime loyalist Ali Larijani to handle the disaster.
The US and Iran final week resumed Oman-mediated talks in Geneva aimed toward doubtlessly reaching an settlement, after Washington dispatched two plane carriers, many jets and an enormous quantity of weaponry to the area to again up its warnings.
Additionally Sunday, senior US officers instructed the Axios information web site that America is prepared to ship negotiators for additional talks with Iran in Geneva this Friday, if Tehran presents a brand new draft proposal for a nuclear deal inside 48 hours.
Officers had been cited as saying that that is possible the final probability for diplomatic decision earlier than Washington launches a significant navy operation.
In line with the New York Occasions report, on the top of nationwide protests final month and amid rising US threats of navy motion, Khamenei tapped Larijani — a former Revolutionary Guards commander and veteran politician — to a central governing function, successfully putting him on the helm of state affairs and undermining the powers of President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Citing interviews with senior Iranian officers, members of the Revolutionary Guards and former diplomats, the Occasions report mentioned that Larijani has since overseen the current brutal crackdown on protests, managed delicate nuclear diplomacy with Washington, and coordinated with allies and neighbors together with Russia, Qatar and Oman.
He was additionally mentioned to be main wartime planning as Iran braces for attainable US strikes. The report mentioned that Iran was working on the belief that US strikes had been “inevitable and imminent.” As such, Iranian forces had been on the very best stage of alert and ready to withstand.
Iran has been putting its missiles close to the Iraqi border, the place they’ll goal Israel, and alongside the Persian Gulf, the place they threaten US navy bases within the area. Iran has additionally repeatedly carried out missile exams and drills in the important thing Hormuz Straights because it gears up for conflict.
Inside management
The report additionally detailed the preparations Iran was making to make sure there was no inside lack of management within the occasion of conflict.
The officers mentioned that if hostilities escape, particular forces items of the police, intelligence brokers and battalions of the plainclothes Basij militia, a subsidiary of the Guards, will deploy throughout cities, organising checkpoints to cease protests and probably establish these working for overseas businesses.
On Sunday, the opposition outlet Iran Worldwide reported that Iranian college students had been holding contemporary waves of nationwide anti-regime rallies, commemorating these killed in current protests and voicing opposition to the Islamic Republic.
In line with the report, demonstrations have taken place on the College of Tehran, Sharif College of Know-how, Shahid Beheshti College, Ferdowsi College, Khajeh Nasir College, and the College of Artwork.
Iran Worldwide, a media outlet based mostly outdoors the nation and branded a “terrorist” group by Tehran, shared a video on social media of scholars holding up the flag at Sharif College, in addition to movies of rallies at different establishments of upper studying.
شجاعت، غیرت و شرافت شیربچههای جنبش دانشجویی ایران
یکشنبه | ۳ اسفند ۱۴۰۴
دانشگاه صنعتی آریامهر (شریف)#انقلاب_شیروخورشید#جاویدشاه pic.twitter.com/7qFPInbxga— Amirkabir NewsLetter خبرنامهٔ امیرکبیر (@autnews_org) February 22, 2026
A video geolocated by AFP of what gave the impression to be the identical demonstration at Sharif College confirmed a big crowd across the flag-waving college students chanting “lengthy stay the shah” and different anti-government slogans.
Members of the Basij paramilitary drive have reportedly entered some campuses in an effort to establish protesters.
Others staged competing pro-regime protests as college students rallied on Saturday at the beginning of the brand new college semester to mark the fortieth day because the deaths on the peak of the protests on January 8 and 9, in keeping with Shiite mourning custom.
Classes from 12-day conflict
A lot of Khamenei’s preparations come because of the teachings discovered by Iran within the wake of the 12-day conflict fought with Israel in June, when Israeli strikes killed a lot of the Iranian navy management within the opening hours of the battle, and amid fears that the People will try to kill the supreme chief.
As such, Khamenei has taken a collection of steps to attempt and make sure the continuity of the regime and of the navy management, together with naming 4 layers of succession for every of the navy command and authorities roles that he personally appoints.
Khamenei additionally instructed all folks in management roles to call as much as 4 replacements, the Occasions report mentioned.
He has additionally delegated duties to an in depth inside circle that would make choices within the occasion that he’s out of contact or killed, chief amongst them Larijani.
Different senior leaders talked about embody prime navy adviser and former commander-in-chief of the Guards, Maj. Gen. Yahya Rahim Safavi; Brig. Gen. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, a former Guards commander and present speaker of parliament; and Khamenei’s chief of employees, the cleric Ali Asghar Hejazi.
The Occasions mentioned Ghalibaf has been designated Khamenei’s de facto deputy to command the armed forces throughout conflict.
The report mentioned Khamenei had recognized three potential successors whereas he was in hiding in the course of the conflict with Israel, however they haven’t been publicly named.
The report famous that whereas Larijani can be tasked with the de facto working of the nation, he wouldn’t be thought-about a successor for the function of supreme chief, as he isn’t a senior Shiite cleric.
Larijani in cost
Nonetheless, analysts mentioned that Khamenei “totally trusts” Larijani to handle the disaster and lead ought to Khamenei be killed.
“The supreme chief totally trusts Larijani. He believes Larijani is the person for this delicate juncture due to his political observe report, sharp thoughts and data,” Nasser Imani, a conservative analyst near the federal government, instructed the Occasions. “He depends on him for reviews on the state of affairs and pragmatic recommendation. Larijani’s function can be very pronounced throughout conflict.”
The report highlighted how Larijani’s ascension has come on the expense of Pezeshkian, detailing how the president needed to request that Larijani carry the web blockade and grant permission to International Minister Abbas Araghchi to ascertain contact with US President Donald Trump’s chief negotiator, Steve Witkoff.
Final probability talks
Witkoff and fellow negotiator Jared Kushner have been ready for an in depth provide from Tehran since their final talks with Araghchi on Tuesday.
A senior US official instructed Azios that the 2 People plan to be in Geneva on February 27 if the Iranians ship their proposal early this week.
“If Iran provides a draft proposal, the US is able to meet in Geneva on Friday with a purpose to begin detailed negotiations to see if we are able to get a nuclear deal,” the official mentioned.
The official additionally mentioned that the Trump administration and Iran might additionally talk about the opportunity of an interim settlement earlier than a full nuclear deal is agreed.
Nonetheless, officers warned this might be the final probability for a deal.
